Ando Masahashi/Season One
This article archives the history of Ando Masahashi during Season One.
For more about Ando Masahashi, see the main article.
For Ando Masahashi's Season Two history, see here.
For Ando Masahashi's Season Three history, see here.
For Ando Masahashi's Season Four history, see here.
Character History
Genesis
Ando quickly types something on his computer as he hears Hiro running up to his cubicle shouting with joy. Hiro tells him about his newly discovered power which Ando doesn't believe. As Hiro is dragged away by his manager Ando continues to tease him playfully. Ando returns to his computer where he's watching the webcam video of Niki Sanders.
After work Hiro continues to try to convince Ando of his powers, but Ando remains skeptical and sarcastic. After listening to Hiro for a while he decides he needs a drink and they both head to a bar.
At the bar Ando suggests that if Hiro can indeed teleport that he should teleport into the women's bathroom. He leaves Hiro to get two more beers. As Ando is returning to the table, he sees two men dragging Hiro out of the women's bathroom and throwing him out into the alley. Joining Hiro in the alley, Ando still doesn't believe Hiro and questions why Hiro's so obsessed with being different than everyone else.
Don't Look Back
Five weeks later, Ando receives a telephone call from Hiro, who excitedly tells him he teleported to New York City. Detective Furakowa takes the phone and Ando tells him that Hiro has been missing for five weeks.
One Giant Leap
Hiro arrives back in Tokyo and approaches Ando at Yamagato Industries. Hiro explains that he traveled five weeks into the future and all the way to New York City, where he witnessed an explosion. Initially skeptical, Ando begins to come around when Hiro shows him the copy of 9th Wonders!, Issue #14 which accurately portrays the conversation he's having with Hiro. He is not fully convinced until Hiro uses the comic to rescue a schoolgirl who is about to be hit by a truck, at which point he agrees to accompany him. They fly to Los Angeles, then rent a car from Hotspur at LAX, and drive to Las Vegas.
Collision
In Las Vegas, Ando gambles away all of their money save one dollar, which he plays on 26 black on the roulette table. When that pick beats the odds to win, Hiro confesses that he stopped time and cheated. Ando seizes on this first chance to exploit Hiro's powers and talks him into repeating the trick over and over again. They become successful at cheating, and even buy matching suits. Eventually, one of the players whose cards Hiro swapped catches up with them. Ando threatens the man and his entourage with Hiro's "very big power", but one of the henchmen takes Hiro out with a single punch.
Hiros
Hiro and Ando are dumped out of a moving van on the outskirts of Las Vegas, where they find the Fly By Night Diner. Ando blames Hiro for what has happened and they argue. Ando decides that Hiro's the one ruining his trip and leaves. Later on, he arrives at Niki Sanders's house, which the police have staked out waiting for D.L. Ando tells Niki he found her address from the WHOIS database and that he thought she could help him because they talk so much online. She tells him that she isn't the person he sees on the webcam, but tells the police to let him go. He returns to the car park, reconciles with Hiro, and they prepare to continue on their journey. First, however, Ando helps Hiro to call and warn Isaac, but instead it's Peter who answers.
Better Halves
Ando translates Peter's message for Hiro. They discuss the mission, and Hiro assures Ando that he's a hero even if he doesn't have powers. As they prepare to leave, they encounter the high roller they cheated, who enlists their aid in cheating other players at a private game held in a warehouse.
During the game, when another player, Ernie, insists something is going on, Ando reassures him that Japanese people are just lucky. Hiro slips and as Ando helps him up, he sees that Ernie has a gun hidden under the table. Fearing that the other players plan to kill him, Ando drags Hiro off to the bathroom. While they are discussing the situation, an unknown woman arrives and Hiro and Ando listen as she quickly massacres the other players. They escape out the window.
Back at their car, Hiro begins to doubt his ability to be a hero, but this time it's Ando who does the reassuring.
Nothing to Hide
Leaving Las Vegas, Ando and Hiro notice a car accident, and that another driver goes to help. After Hiro saves both the person who was locked inside the car and the helper, Ando talks to the helper's kid, Micah. Micah recognizes Ando, and asks him if he visited his mom. Moments later, D.L. asks Ando if he can drive to the hospital. Ando says that it is fine, and he has already called the police, and D.L. flees with his son.
Seven Minutes to Midnight
Continuing their journey to meet Peter Petrelli in New York City, Ando and Hiro stop for breakfast at the Burnt Toast Diner in Midland, TX. They meet a waitress, Charlie, who speaks excellent Japanese considering she's learned it from a phrase book and in only a week. Later, Charlie's body is discovered with her head sliced open. Sheriff Davidson questions Hiro and Ando and tells them to stick around so he can get a statement from them. Hiro feels that he should have done something to stop Charlie's murder. Ando tries to persuade him that it's too risky to attempt to go back in time to save her, and that they should just continue their mission, but Hiro disappears into the past anyway, telling Ando he'll be back by the time Ando counts to five. Ando counts, but there's no sign of Hiro.
Homecoming
Ando, who still waits for Hiro to come back from the past, gets a phone call from Peter. Ando tells him he is at the Burnt Toast Diner, and Peter says he is on his way. Still sitting in the diner, Ando sees Hiro's photo with Charlie at her birthday. He asks one of the other waitresses if she knows who the guy in the picture is. She recognizes him, and says his name is Hiro - a guy who showed up about six months ago, and then suddenly disappeared. When Peter finally arrives, Ando tells him about Hiro's journey to the past, and describes how Charlie was killed by Sylar. Peter shows him Isaac's missing painting, and tells him he has to go to that Homecoming to save the cheerleader. Ando tries to warn him he is going to die, but Peter does not listen to him.
Six Months Ago
Hiro goes back in time six months and tries to call Ando to help him. Ando is sick and six-month-ago Hiro answers the phone instead.
In the present day, Ando waits at the Burnt Toast Diner for Hiro. Hiro returns and Ando joyously greets him. Hiro tells Ando that he failed in his mission to save Charlie. Ando suggests that Hiro just try again, but Hiro responds by saying that he can't because the power is bigger than he is and that he can't change the past no matter how hard he tries.
Fallout
Hiro and Ando arrive at Union Wells High School the day after Homecoming. Hiro is despondent, claiming that, as they have failed to save the cheerleader, they have no chance to save the world, but Ando argues that maybe the message was a list, and not an "if-then" statement. After deciding to continue on with their mission anyway, they receive a call from Isaac Mendez, who has just escaped from the secret facility within Primatech Paper Co..
After meeting Isaac at the bus terminal, they take him to the Burnt Toast Diner and trade information: Hiro tells Isaac about the future explosion and finding Isaac dead in his apartment, and Isaac tells them about Sylar's capture and the painting he made of an exploding man.
Later on, Hiro encourages Isaac to try painting without heroin again in a motel room. Isaac succeeds, and paints a picture of Hiro, wielding a sword, facing off against an enormous dinosaur. Hiro worries that if he travels back in time to prehistory, he'll step on a bug and change the present, but Ando reasons he has bigger things to worry about, like the fact that he's going to be killed by the dinosaur.
Godsend
At the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, Ando criticizes Hiro for wasting time looking for the sword when there's only three weeks left until the explosion. After Hiro finds the sword, Ando notices the Symbol on the hilt. Looking at a tapestry for reference, he notes that it's a combination of the characters for "great talent" and "godsend". After Hiro says he's going to steal the sword, Ando says that there are museum guards everywhere, and stealing is wrong. After Hiro un-freezes time, Ando hears the alarm go off and notices the sword is gone. He runs out of the museum and finds Hiro on the street. When Hiro finds that the sword is a replica, he tells Ando that he's going to put it back. Hiro and Ando then go to Isaac's apartment to deliver the news of the sword to Isaac.
The Fix
As Hiro and Ando go to retrieve their rental car from a parking garage, Ando argues with the parking attendant, claiming that he's "only two minutes over", but the attendant refuses to cut him a break. As they walk to their car they notice a strange man with a gun standing by it.
In an attempt to get away, Hiro and Ando hide under a parked car. Ando tells him that he's tired of being chased and Hiro tells him he can surrender if he wants, but that a hero never gives up and he will not surrender. Someone gets into the car they are hiding under and drives away leaving them exposed in a parking space. The men catch Ando and take him to the van. Hiro climbs back over and tells them he's special and will go with them if they release Ando. The men push both of them into a van and take them away.
As Hiro and Ando are being driven away in the van, the man watching them offers Hiro and Ando first class plane tickets back to Japan. Ando is very impressed and reaches for the tickets, but Hiro tells the man that they will not be bribed.
Distractions
As Hiro speaks to his father about his future, Ando notices Hiro's sister and puts on some cologne in an attempt to charm her.
Run!
In Las Vegas, Hiro and Ando return to the Montecito Casino and sneak in through the kitchen. Ando tries to convince Hiro not to bother with taking the sword, but Hiro tells him he won't give up. Hiro tells him that a hero must have hope. Ando tells Hiro that he can figure out how to get into Mr. Linderman's office and that he'll look for hope. Just then, they run into a sobbing showgirl--who introduces herself as "Hope". She tells them she's left her abusive boyfriend, but left her bag in his room. Ando volunteers to retrieve it. When Hiro attempts to dissuade him, Hope overhears them mention Linderman and volunteers to introduce them to him if they get the bag.
Hiro and Ando leave Hope's dressing room and sneak into the boyfriend's hotel room by hiding Hiro under a room service cart. When the man heads back to the shower, Hiro lets Ando into the room, and they begin to search. Hiro continues to try to persuade Ando to leave; when he finds a gun in an armoire, he insists, and Ando, pretending to leave with him, locks Hiro out of the room. Ando looks under the bed and finds Hope's bag, but before he can retrieve it the man gets out the shower. Ando crawls under the bed with the bag and hides.
Ando finds Hope and gives her the bag. She tells Ando to come with her since she needs a ride to her mom's house in Primm. He asks where Hiro is and she claims she took him to meet the guy who would introduce him to Mr. Linderman. When Ando asks why he didn't wait for him she tells him that Hiro said he didn't need him anymore. Ando is confused, but she shuts him up by kissing him and telling him that they need to go.
Graphic Novel:Road Kill
Sylar watches Charlie greet Ando and Hiro at the Burnt Toast Diner.
Unexpected
Ando drives Hope to a parking lot in Primm, Nevada. Ando attempts to remove Hope's bag from the back seat of the car, but the bag rips and poker chips spill out. Ando gathers up the chips and places them back in the bag. As he finishes, Steve Gustavson and Hiro arrive. Hope hides behind Ando and points the gun at Steve. Steve fires his gun, hitting Ando in the arm. Hiro and Ando seek shelter in the luggage compartment. Hope points her gun at Ando, but Hiro is able to manipulate time and stop the bullet. Ando asks Hiro if his powers worked, but neither of them knows because they both had their eyes closed. After the mêlée, Ando complains about his arm hurting and asks Hiro to drive. Hiro tells him to drive the car back to the rental agency and to go home. Ando apologizes again and Hiro tells him that he made a mistake bringing him along.
Parasite
After discovering Hiro's attempt to steal the Kensei sword, Linderman's curator activates an alarm to bring all 754 guards in the casino to his aid. The first to respond is Ando who pistol-whips the curator unconscious. Ando explains to the surprised Hiro that he knew Hiro would trip an alarm eventually and had been following him. Ando and Hiro block the door to the room with the curator's desk and Hiro finally retrieves the Kensei sword. As the guards are about to break in, Ando tells Hiro to teleport out, telling Hiro he'll be okay. However, Hiro tells Ando he's going to take both of them and taking Ando by the shoulders, Hiro teleports the two men out of the room as the guards break in.
Hiro and Ando reappear on the rooftop of the Deveaux building which they are shocked to find in ruins. Looking out over the city, Hiro and Ando realize they have come to the future after they failed to stop the bomb.
.07%
In the future, he and Hiro look at a string web. Ando points a gun at Future Hiro.
Graphic Novel:String Theory
At Isaac Mendez's apartment in the future, Ando points a gun at Future Hiro.
Five Years Gone
Matt Parkman and the Haitian raid Isaac's apartment and capture Hiro as Future Hiro and Ando escapes. A short time later, Matt and his team nearly manage to capture them, who are trying to rescue Hiro - but Peter Petrelli stops time and rescues them, removing them to a safe location. Peter leaves Ando alone for a while with an unconscious (tasered) Future Hiro. When he comes to, he learns that Peter has told Ando what he was trying to tell him just as Matt and his men burst in: that Future Ando is dead, one of the millions of victims of the New York City explosion. Peter has also told Ando that the Hiro he once knew disappeared on the day of his death, and that he believes Future Hiro is obsessed with changing the past because he wants nothing more than to save Ando's life. Future Hiro, Peter and Ando arrive to free Hiro. After Future Hiro is killed, but Hiro is safe, Ando tells Hiro that he believes in him, and Hiro returns the two to their own time.
The Hard Part
Ando and Hiro return to present day New York and decide to return to Isaac's apartment. They arrive to find Isaac's mutilated body on the floor and quickly hide behind a painting as Sylar walks out of the restroom. Sylar hears Ando gulp, but Ando and Hiro teleport away before Sylar sees them. They appear in a grocery store and walk outside, finding Sylar in the street. Hiro tells Ando that the comic says he's supposed to kill Sylar after the election but Ando insists that he kill him now. They follow Sylar to his mother's house and spy on him through a window. While Sylar is pleading for forgiveness, Ando tells Hiro to kill him while he is distracted and he explains to Hiro that Future Ando died because of Sylar. After Hiro's attempt to kill Sylar fails, Ando rushes in and Hiro teleports them away. They appear in Isaac's loft and Ando questions what happened, telling him that he still has two days to kill Sylar, but Hiro shows him the broken sword.
Landslide
Ando and Hiro are at Isaac's loft and Ando searches a phone book for a sword repair shop. He finds Jittetsu Arms, calls them, and the two venture off. They see Nathan on the street, walking to his car, and approach him with dire warnings of the future. They tell him that they are trying to prevent the bomb from going off, and that he needs to help them or a bad future will occur. Ando says that they went there, but he was already dead. Nathan tells then that nothing can stop the bomb, and Hiro realizes Nathan is part of the problem and calls him a villain. Ando and Hiro then continue on their way to get Hiro's sword fixed, eventually arriving at Jittetsu Arms. They are greeted by Mr. Claremont, who tells them that Kaito will decide if the sword will be fixed. Ando tells Hiro that he can't talk to his father because he may convince him to abandon his mission. After Hiro goes to his father, Ando purchases a sword from Mr. Claremont and goes off to kill Sylar himself in case Hiro would not do it. Later, Ando roams around New York City with the sword in hand, consulting a copy of 9th Wonders! from the future for clues to finding his target.
How to Stop an Exploding Man
With his newly acquired sword, Ando goes to Isaac's apartment and intends to kill Sylar. However, Sylar sneaks up behind him, throws his sword to the side, and begins to cut his neck. Lucky for Ando, Hiro quickly arrives and teleports Ando to Yamagato Industries. While there, Ando prepares to return with Hiro to kill Sylar, but Hiro replies that he must finish his journey alone. Ando tells Hiro that he looks bad ass and Hiro teleports to Kirby Plaza.
Graphic Novel:Heroism Is Found in the Heart, Part 1
After being teleported back to Yamagato Industries, Ando meets with Kaito Nakamura, who reassigns Ando to Hiro's former position. Ando finds himself working on the same floor as Kimiko. Despite another employee's discouragement, Ando pursues Kimiko's heart. He stays at work until after 9:00 pm waiting for Kimiko, then asks to walk her home. However, when they leave the building, they are confronted by a menacing group of bikers.
Graphic Novel:Heroism Is Found in the Heart, Part 2
Ando, recognizing Fumio Fukazawa and his biker gang, wonders why they are in front of Yamagato. Ando learns that Fukazawa is pursuing Kimiko, and he begins to understand Fumio's desires. When the gang give chase through the streets of Tokyo, Ando slips in a fountain, inadvertently causing a distraction. He gets on a bike Kimiko has secured, plans to heroically give Kimiko a helmet, but accidentally drops the gear into the road, momentarily thwarting the bikers. Later, when he and Kimiko are trapped, Ando promises to protect Kimiko with his life. He bravely faces the gang. When they run away, Ando and Kimiko kiss each other, unaware of the man who really scared the pursuers away.